The end of the year is just weeks away so the years annuals are out and of course there are three that deserve a special mention and so here they are!
Superman finally embraces his new home, planet Earth! With Swamp Thing delivering some harsh lessons along the way while Batman enjoys a quintuplet offering of stories and the DC initiative ‘The New Talent Showcase’ explodes with stories featuring Zatanna, Constantine, Wonder Woman, The Flash, The Lanterns, Hawkgirl, Deadman, Wonder Girl, Catwoman, Lois Lane, Batman & Harley Quinn!
Are they all winners? You’ll find out!
This is my look into the DC Universe this week!,
SUPERMAN ANNUAL #1
Tangled Up In Green
Writers: Peter J. Tomasi & Patrick Gleason
Artist: Jorge Jimenez
Cover: Jorge Jimenez & Alejandro Sanchez
Clark roams around Hamilton County, his land and that surrounding it are suffering a terribly drought despite the recent spells of rain. He takes to the skies and discovers that anything in remote proximity to the farm is dried out.
As if on cue Dr. Alec Holland burst from the ground warning Superman that he doesn’t belong on this earth. The avatar of the green, Alec is also known as Swamp Thing!
Swamp Thing tells Clark he was drawn to Hamilton because of the disturbances in nature and Clark recalls when his touch on the soil made it glow with blue energy, this in effect was the Earth repelling him.
Superman agrees to help bet when he pats Alec’s shoulder in reassurance the blue glow appears and begins killing Swamp Thing who in turn lashes out attacking Clark until he formulates a plan and drags Alec deep into the soil hoping the earth would cleanse him of the infection.
Cured, Alec realises Superman has happened upon the remedy to the situation and offers to fuse with Clark. Inside the avatar Clark awakens but his mind is now one with Alec’s own and Swamp Thing realises that until Superman embraces the future as a citizen of this Earth rather than a visitor he and the Earth will repel each other.
Superman embraces the green and is set free, with a new understanding of his new life and home.
The End.
ART: 5/5
Having an artist continually push themselves is an unforgettable experience. We’ve all seen artists fall back on ‘typical’ poses but Jimenez is always throwing in something new, sometimes as they are retread they get reclassified as iconic. Alec’s power set only worked at making Superman more dynamic and going up against him was something entirely different.
COVER: 4/5
A spooky, Vertigo-esque style cover that lives up to its promise. I’m not particularly sold on the color palette but overall it’s a great annual cover.
ISSUE RATING: 5/5
Dispelling the rumours that the blue glow in the soil was connected to The Watchmen, we instead find that after a year in action, Superman is no longer a strange visitor literally from another planet but one that has a wife, family and future on this Earth. It is an enjoyable tale that isn’t mired down by the current storyline and instead goes into looking at Clark himself. By taking time to explore the person IN the suit we gain a new perspective and a fantastic story.
BATMAN ANNUAL #1
Good Boy
Writer: Tom King
Artist: David Finch
Cover: David Finch & Brad Anderson
Batman is bitten in the neck by a vicious dog, the last living of four former pets of the Joker left to die in a pit.
Tasked with taking the dog to the pound, Alfred is turned away as it is too vicious to be rehomed. Refusing to give up Alfred returns home and determined to prove everyone wrong he spends each day training the dog despite Bruce’s assessment that the dog is beyond saving.
After a particularly exhausting night in Gotham an injured Bruce returns home crumpling in his leather chair in front of his computer consoles. The dog worried for Bruce tends to his wounds and offers support.
Watching, Alfred thinks back to when he brought the first Ace home and how Bruce instinctively took to him. He smiles to himself ‘World’s Greatest Detective indeed!’
ART: 4/5
Beautifully illustrated but one niggle is the passage of time. I took the final scene to be young Bruce but it really isn’t too clear if that is the case. Bruce looks younger there but that could just be the inking… the dates don’t stipulate year… touching nevertheless, Finch doesn’t disappoint.
STORY RATING: 4/5
A touching story with the focus on relationships, man and boy, man and dog. Looking especially at second chances in life. The timeline is a little unclear and that’s the only fault. It’s rare for Alfred, or even Ace to have a moment in the spotlight.
Silent Night
Writers: Scott Snyder & Ray Fawkes
Artist: Declan Shalvey
Batman ponders the technical expertise of the Batcomputer and how it is able to intercept and analyze calls so as to effectively alert Batman to emergencies.
In Champion Square Bruce watches as a group of people clad in red swarm into the square, shed their coats to reveal black leotards and begin scaling the sculptures.
Batman asks Alfred to recheck the computer data for anything about this incident but is taken aback when crime in the city falls silent as everyone stops to watch the acrobatics of performance art on this Christmas night.
The silence doesn’t last and Bruce is called back into his fight with crime, but for one brief moment, there was Peace on Earth…
ART: 3/5
Stylistically it is very bare, in one way that leads you to want more and in another it allows you to enjoy the short story without the clutter of over detailing. The acrobatics, though frozen in the panels help you envisage a balletic routine and for a brief moment, some light in the darkness.
STORY RATING: 3/5
There isn’t much meat on the bones of this story, but there needn’t be, it really is all about the visuals than it is about Batman. For eight pages there is actually a lot for you to process that isn’t in the spoken word nor the artwork.
The Not So Silent Night Of The Harley Quinn
Writer: Paul Dini
Artist: Neal Adams
Batman catches Harley Quinn trying to break into Police Headquarters.
He snatches her away as she is about to deliver cookies and candy to the prisoners and a pudding shaped bomb for her ex.
Batman offers to drop Harley off at the city limits as they pass a charity for children’s toys, Batman sees a group of thug children harassing two kids. But one dressed as Harley fights them off.
Next they watch as a Harley Quinn lookalike rescues a runaway pet dog from oncoming traffic, then a woman running away from her abusive husband finds himself trapped by an army of Harley Quinn’s taking part in a Christmas parade.
Harley has tried the entire drive to convince Batman to sing carols and to her astonishment he eventually does and as a bonus he even drives her all the way home!
ART: 4/5
Neal Adams does a great job showing us a much lighter side to Batman in just the artwork alone, It was also great to see Batman sporting the blue grey and yellow look as it added a lot to the lightness in the story.
STORY RATING: 5/5
Nobody gets Batman or Harley Quinn quite like Paul Dini. This is the best story of the four we are presented and the most enjoyable. Harley is quite clearly dangerous but she has a pure heart and somehow she is able to bring out the same traits in the dark knight!
Stag
Writer: Steve Orlando
Artist: Ripley Rossmo
Bruce Wayne, Comissioner Gordon and Barry O’Neill are opening a Winter theme park for the children of Gotham when Mister Blizzard attacks. He takes umbrage to O’Neill commissioning a plywood and fake snow ice town instead of the real thing.
Batman arrives and fights Blizzard to the finish, leaving him in the hands of Commissioner Gordon before vanishing into the night. Gordon questions O’Neill who reveals that Blizzard had sent warning letters but he’d just wanted the children of Gotham to experience some light and happiness.
Duke stops by Wayne Manor for a one to one with Bruce who tells him, O’Neill has always done good for the city, more then Bruce ever did, he spent so much of his life and wealth caring for the city that even his mother used to look up to him.
He tells Duke that no matter what, no matter who you are something always comes after you. But as he does so almost prophetically, O’Neill is murdered in his own home by someone dressed in gothic clothing names… The Stag.
To Be Continued…
ART: 4/5
Really spooky art, the last two pages really emanate with chills. The lighter pages are perhaps a little too bright for Gotham but then Mister Blizzard makes much of his surroundings glow white. Outside of the winter setting I’m sure Rossmo’s art will compliment the darkness perfectly.
STORY RATING: 4/5
A precursor to a new storyline, not much is given away except that The Stag is a deadly new villain. We really have nothing more than the murder of O’Neill to go on so reserving judgement is all we can do here. The unsettling feeling Bruce has definitely makes you think something big is on the way.
The Insecurity Diversion
Writer: Scott Bryan Wilson
Artist: Bilquis Evely
In Arkham Asylum they are having a ‘ Good Behaviour Party’ an idea of one of the psychologists, one that Batman vehemently disagrees with. Watching from outside Bruce realises that fear gas has enveloped the city. A weakened strain to create anxiety. Batman races away to find the source and discovers drones spraying the gas and takes them out.
At first Bruce thinks it is a test for a bigger attack later then remembers the Asylum and realises it was a distraction. Delia Pflaum, Haunter has escaped, her special skill is being able to kill people using their own DNA and she was close friends with Scarecrow.
Bruce tracks them down and Scarecrow, they believe they have some of Batman’s DNA that they’ve snatched from him but realise he’d tricked them with a paralysis toxin himself ending their plan once and for all.
ART: 3/5
Being word heavy and truncating the art into such a small page count means that Evely has to work that much harder to convey the storyline and unfortunately the finale is spoiled because of those factors
STORY RATING: 3/5
Again as with the art, squeezing it into so a small page count has meant a story that could easily have been a whole issue has not been allowed to breathe.
COVER: 3/5
Not an awful cover, just not what I’m used to from Finch.
It looks good but there is no emotional, or iconic power behind it.
Perhaps like the Stag storyline, the winter palette is what weakens the artwork.
ISSUE RATING: 3/5
A unique look into different aspects of DC’s Darkest Knight, ultimately I feel they made a mistake. Despite all the stories explorations having five forced them all to be too short. It did make me want to read more Batman though, I just wished it was longer.
NEW TALENT SHOWCASE #1
Hellblazer: The Road To Hell and All That
Writer: Adam Smith
Artist: Siya Oum
John Constantine is hunched over a toilet vomiting, much to the amusement of several demon folk. He thinks back to Kansas and visiting a demonic bar there, thinking back further still he finds himself with Zatanna. Zatarra has died and John in his own unique way is trying to comfort his young daughter. Naturally he does nothing more than upset her further.
A fellow drinker turns to him and tells him to go home but John, determined to make it up to Zatanna wants to find Zatarra for her. The drinker reveals himself to be Zatarra, damned to hell for his actions and ones he wants his daughter to never know.
As John promises, he doesn’t reveal the truth to Zatanna, but he does make sure she’s ok…
The End
ART: 5/5
A nicely illustrated tale with a variety of techniques utilised to make the story feel more emotive. I like the painted style Oum has used in the art it really adds to the atmosphere.
STORY RATING: 4/5
A little on the weak side, Constantine doesn’t seem to be his usual self (as in a potty mouthed, arrogant ass) but it gets the point across. Would have liked this expanded upon. Perhaps this will be the case someday.
Wonder Woman: Blood & Glory
Writer: Vita Ayala
Artist: Khary Randolph
Diana is battling several mythic beasts who are destroying downtown Chicago. Magical glyphs hover over each of them and Wonder Woman struggles to fight the beasts all off.
The Flash arrives to assist but proves to be unneeded as Dina channels the powers of the God of War finishing them all off.
On Themiscira, in Circe’s lair the sorceress Cyrene asks an amazon if she is willing to join the cause and carves a glyph into her forearm.
Back in Chicago Wonder Woman and Flash make peace and Diana flies home to investigate the glyphs.
To Be Continued.
ART: 3/5
The art style is unique, utilised with the beasts it definitely bursts with energy but Diana and Wally seem too angular and anatomically awkward is some panels. The fight scenes look amazing but the scenes where the primary focus drama seem to suffer because of that angular style. Continuity with the costumes would have helped with the narrative and timeline.
STORY RATING: 3/5
This is clearly during Diana’s God of War days and in that respect it’s a nice sideline story that pushed that saga forward though it’s a shame it is pre rebirth material. Diana also is incredibly frosty, the script makes her personality positively robotic, a shame as she was never that stilted.
White Lantern: Dead Beacons
Writer: Michael Moreci
Artist: Barnaby Bagenda
A dead Oan ship in distant space attracts two salvagers hunting for valuables. Unfortunately all that waits for them is a villain who was snubbed as a ring bearer and now seeks revenge.
Elsewhere on the planet Losum, Carol Ferris aka Star Sapphire and Kyle Rayner aka the White Lantern are protecting the planet from the alien race The Hive.
Kyle reminds them his power is hope and they are darkness, destroying the invading forces he turns to Carol who mentions seeing an email from Kyle’s father and they contemplate rebuilding bridges. Kyle reminds Star Sapphire it is their anniversary and they head off to celebrate.
To Be Continued…
ART: 4/5
Some amazing pencil work here. The ship at the beginning and then in the attack by N’Thall, there is an attention to detail and an equal about of vibrancy that really helps it pop
STORY RATING: 3/5
It certainly feels like a prologue, that unfortunately is it’s downfall, it feels like its starting something but summing up everything, nothing really does happen at least not in what is set up. It’s promising as a new threat to the Corps but It just seems like it isn’t finished.
Hawkgirl: Weapons of War
Writer: Erica Schultz
Artist: Sonny Liew
Then…
Detective Hall arrives to meet the team and her partner Detective Cariad at the scene of a crime. Two men have been killed, one with a burning hole in it chest, the other ripped in two. Of course Shayera recognises the wounds as being inflicted by aliens weaponry but she keeps it to herself. The Nth metal mace she owns hums when it detects other Nth metal nearby but when she discovers the weapon hidden under a dumpster the two detectives are summoned back to the precinct.
When Shayera gets homeshe unmaks her thanagarian wall safe and inside it all the thanagerian weaponry that has been making its way to Earth. Warhawk has left her all manner of tech to help her but sadly no way to contact her home planet.
Scanning the weapon she discovers human DNA and worries that more might get into human hands…
Now…
It is too late, Hawkgirl has been beaten to a pulp as a large Thanagarian warrior forces her to watch the citizens of Chicago kill each other with the weapons.
To Be Continued…
ART: 3/5
Not sure I really like this style, at least not for the mainstream. Personal tastes but I have been wrong, look at Batgirl, Blue Beetle or Gotham Academy unique art can really make a book come to life. I haven’t read a Hawkgirl solo book for many years, I’m willing to give it a try.
STORY RATING: 5/5
This new talent showcase is starting to get on my nerves. I was really getting into this story and just like that, it’s over. I sincerely hope this isn’t the last of this story as it was just gaining momentum.
Deadman: Killing Time
Writer: Christopher Sebela
Artist: David Messina
Deadman watches Gotham from high above. The Goddess Rama forced a task upon Boston Brand that he must work toward restoring the balance between good and evil. So tonight he possesses the body of Lawyer Allen Renner, a hotshot lawyer building a case against an army general. A criminal case that is about to get Renner killed by a car full of thugs.
Boston possesses each thug using each as a weapon to take out the other then afterwards he heads to Chez Charlie to relax. A bar frequented by ghosts.
Rama appears and Boston complains that the task she set him is impossible, she tells him if he completed the tasks she sets he would be on his way and a puzzled Boston tells her he did his part and Renner is alive.
Rama shakes her head and tells him Renner will die in three minutes.
To Be Continued…
ART: 5/5
Wow. Some absolutely stunning art in this segment. This style is brilliantly suited to Deadman. Clear, concise and not too overdetailed. My favourite strip in the whole book.
STORY RATING: 5/5
A nice jumping on point for anyone not familiar with Boston Brand, Deadman or his mission. Everything is covered and a mystery is thrown in to boot. Could there be more? Absolutely, Should there be more?
Absolutely!
Wonder Girl: Digging Up Demons
Writer: Hena Khan
Artist: Emanuela Lupacchino
Cassie is in Jordan investigating a bombing but what she finds is a storm of spirits called Jinn. When they vanish and the police arrive Cassie discovers the Seal of Solomon was stolen from an archaeological site and it holds dominion over Jinn. With three sites already attacked by Jinn, a detective on scene suspects the bearer of the seal is after the Pentacle Of Solomon.
Consulting her mother Cassie tells her she isn’t the thief and comes across Diesel long thought dead, despite his anger that Cassie now owns the armour he swears he wishes to help. Cassie abandons him in the desert and races to meet her mother. Cassie tells how she came to be in possession of the armour, how it bonded with her when she tried to save Diesel’s life.
She tells her mother that Diesel might be the thief as he miraculously reappeared as the robberies began. As her mother leaves to freshen up the detective calls and reveals the thief is Helena Sandsmark, Cassie’s mother!
To Be Continued…
ART: 4/5
Fantastic artwork. Lupacchino continues to impress and though the colour palette especially on Cassie’s hair and in backgrounds can be a little oversaturating; the pencilling is what really brings it to life.
STORY RATING: 5/5
“Stop trying to make Wonder Girl happen!” I can almost hear Regina George saying it. However… no really, however, this is an intriguing story that actually makes me like her and I HATED the Teen Titans book so that is a huge accomplishment.
Catwoman/Wonder Woman: The Amazonian Job
Writer: Emma Beeby
Artist: Minkyu Jung
Wonder Woman interrupts a robbery by Catwoman, intent on hiring her for her unique skills.
A god aboard the nuclear submarine U.S.S Mount Olympus takes control of it. He explains what happened to the gods and how they fell from grace and worship but are now ready to rise again.
Elsewhere, Diana and Catwoman argue over the job, more specifically the fee. Diana cannot promise untold riches but offers to help her with the League Of Assassins if Selina helps.
They arrive on Themyscira and Diana asks if Selina would like to reconsider, if the challenge to steal a priceless treasure from an impenetrable fortress is to much for her to deal with.
Catwoman smiles and leaps into action.
To Be Continued…
ART: 3/5
The women look fantastic but the men seem to be a little off, shorter, tubbier… perhaps intentionally to make the women more svelte? The detail especially facially is a little light but as I said but the female leads have some beautifully rendered art showcasing them
STORY RATING: 3/5
It is a bit of a dull non story to be honest, I get that Diana needs an expert thief but nothing aside from a slight comment is really made of it and more time is spent focusing on the mystery god in the submarine. It would have been nicer to see more of Diana and Selina in action.
Superman: The Man in Black
Writer: Michael McMillian
Artist: Juan Ferreyra
A sheriff is out on patrol and comments on the rise of calls about UFO’s he laughs them off as shooting stars until a spacecraft literally appears out of nowhere. The pilot steps out as an extremely tall and thin alien named Enrik Kol who promises he has come to save the planet.
Years later Superman is fighting a giant robot painted to look like the Joker. Superman slams the robot to the ground and rips the front off but instead of the Joker he is confronted by his wife Lois Lane!
Combining his x-ray and heat vision he is able to create concentrated microwaves and he uses this trick to burn out the Joket toxin from Lois’ blood stream.
With Lois cured they rush to get to an antidote to be completely sure, but Clark has to know how Joker infected her. Lois tells him Jon was safe at school and Joker wasn’t the maniacal clown they’re used to, instead he was cold, and apologised for infecting her but it had to be done to save the planet.
Batman radios Superman about the Joker and Clark tells him of the attack on Metropolis, but Batman has a bigger revelation… the Joker has moved on and has made Smallville his target.
To Be Continued…
ART: 5/5
I really dig this style, it’s a break from the norm that doubtless takes longer to achieve than the normal pencil & ink but the end result is more than worth it.
I would love to see more of this style.
STORY RATING: 5/5
A unique mix of elements, there is some classic superhero action but some new innovations mixed in like the super signal radio messages and the microwave vision that gives Superman little tweaks of freshness. Then we have Enrik Kol and the pulp sci fi elements that also mix it up a little. I wish there was more!
Harley Quinn: Good Morning, Gotham!
Writer: Joelle Jones
Artist: Sam Lofti
A terrorist threat looms over Gotham with an airborne virus spreading everywhere. With all the chaos outside the guards are all watching the news leaving Harley to lock them out of the break room and raid the storage rooms.
She rouses the inmates into a break out and the criminally insane wreak havoc in the Asylum even when armed reinforcements arrive to fight the inmates they make short work of them.
With freedom in sight the inmates witness the horror of the attack on Gotham and decide to barricade themselves in till it boils over. Harley however has adventure on her mind and escapes!
To Be Continued…
ART: 4/5
Uniquely suited to Harley Quinn and the sorts of books that thrive on wild and out of the ordinary storytelling. It wasn’t for me personally but I can certainly see the appeal as it is bursting with a zany outlook and certainly evokes fun!
STORY RATING: 3/5
Not much in the way of story, it is just one long crazy action sequence.
There is no harm in it but there is usually more meat to a story, at least from what I’m used to.
COVER: 3/5
Cover: Klaus Janson
Loud, bright, garishly inked and coloured. It certainly stands out it just doesn’t really ‘sell’ it as something epic and new.
ISSUE RATING: 3/5
I want to rate it higher, I really do but this book really doesn’t know what it is.
Why did we get to see it? What was the purpose for me, as a reader?
‘This is what a recruiter has to look at ‘ is that the justification for seeing print? It’s interesting, maybe for an article on the DC website or for the DC All Access video cast. It’s like flipping through portfolios and as beautiful as many if the segment’s were in both art & writing… they weren’t complete. By the end I was disappointed as a lot of promises will never see fruition.
Surely if this were a proper showcase for a writer there should be a beginning, middle & and end and for an artist, the opportunity to draw drama, stillness, emotion as well as the explosive battles? If I’d seen that in each segment my rating would have been a 5. Everything comes off as unfinished and makes for a perplexing book.
At least some of the artists and writers included within are successfully already working on DC books, so they must have impressed the powers that be. I also wish them well because this must have been a tough assignment.